Means for securing a canvas to a frame



Dec. 14, 1948. c E. THOMAS MEANS FOR SECURING A CANVAS TO A FRAME FiledJuly 24, 1945 INVENTOR. CARROLL E. THOMAS: BY & I; f

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 14, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT MEAN-S' non. SECURINGrAcGANVAS -:'r;o 2a

FRAME. I

This invention relates :to improvements in artists equipment, and.moreparticularly to novel means for mounting a. canvas, fabric. orpaper sheet, on a rectangular frame,

An object of my invention-is to provide novel means for securelymounting a canvas on a supporting frame.

Another object ofmy invention isto provide novel meansfor quicklysecuring a canvasto a rectangular supporting frame the said. meansembodying a construction whereby the canvas may be securely held in ataut position without the use of tacks or other. independent means.

A further object of my invention is to provide artists equipment of thekind characterized, embody novel means-by which a .canvas may be readilymounted on a supporting frame andsecurelyv held thereon while its outersurface is painted by an artist, andwhich permits the subsequent tackingof the canvas-to the frame for permanent mounting.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed outhereinafter, or will be indicated in. the. appended claims, or will beobvious to one skilled in the art uponan' understanding ofthe presentdisclosure. For the purpose of this application I have elected toshow'herein certain forms-and details of meansfor-mounting an art-- istscanvas on a rectangular frame representative ofmy invention. It is-to beunderstood, however, that the embodiment of my invention herein shownand described is. for the purpose of illustration only and thattherefore it isnot to be regarded as exhaustiveof the variations of theinventiom nor is it to be given an interpretation such as might have theeffectof limiting the claims, short of the true andmostcomprehensivescope of the invention in the'art.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing an artists canvas mounted on arectangular frame by means of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the same;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a fragmentary part of one of theclamping members; and I Fig. 5 is a perspective view of anotherfragmentary part of the clamping member.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I designates the side members ofan open rectangular frame which is commonly used to support an artistscanvas, fabric or paper sheet, 2. Heretofore, it has been the commonpractice for artists to secure the turned back edges of a canvas 2 to aframe bymeans of closely. spaced tacks which were driven throughthe.canvas and into the edges of the frame. at-each of the four sides of thelatter. Itordinarily takes considerable time and effortto properlyattach a canvas .toaframe by the common method now used, and it likewiserequires considerable time to removethetacks when the canvas is.detached from the frame. By means of the present-invention a canvas maybe quickly secured. toand detached fromasupporting frame.

The frame members I are suitablyinterlocked at their engaging end-s,and-corner wedges-tare commonly used to spread the said members andthereby enlarge the frame to suitably maintain the canvas in a tautposition.

The present inventioncomprises two pair of angle irons or members iand 5which preferably are slightly shorter than the length of'the sidemembers I of the frame with which they normally engage. Each of theangle members 4 and. 5 are formed.with longitudinally disposed sides. 6and (which are arranged at substantiallyright angles with respect tooneano-ther. Thesides 6 of the angle members normally engage with theedge portions of the canvas extending over. the side edges of the frame,and the sides I normally engage with the frames rear side. Thelongitudinal edges of the sides I of each of the angle members-land 5are bent inwardly and outwardly to provide a-reinforcin-g strip 1, the:said strip constituting a fastening member lawhere. the side Iiscut-away midway between its ends, as at 1b, for anchoring an end of theclamping member 8.

Thesides 6 of each of the angle members are formed atspacedintervalsalong their lengths with pointed punched out tongues fi', orother sharp projecting members, which are adapted to extend through thecanvas and penetrate the side edges of the frame when the angle membersare applied to the latter. The sides 6 of each of the angle members aresuitably cut away at spaced intervals along their outer edges to provideopenings (id for the applying of tacks or other securing means for thepermanent attachment of the canvas to the frame, if so desired.

Each of the opposed pair of angle members 4 and 5 are urged toward eachother by spring actuated clamping members 8 which may assume any one ofa number of different forms. In the particular embodiment shown in thedrawings, the clamping members each comprise elongated flat bars 9having their inner ends connected to a helical spring l0 and their outerends formed with suitable means for detachably engaging with. afastening member Ia of the angle members. The elongated bars 9 havesubstantially the same thickness as the sides I, thereby permitting themto lie in the same plane as the said sides when attached to the latter.The helical springs ID, in cross section, preferably have a somewhatrectangular shape, rather than being circular.

When the angle members 4 and 5 are brought into firm engagement with theturned back edge portions of the canvas, the pointed tongues 6 of thesides s project through the said canvas and penetrate the side edges ofthe frame, thereby preventing the slipping of the edge portions of thecanvas with respect to the said side edges of the frame. The springactuated clamping members 8 each exert an inward pressure on theirrespective pair of angle members 4 and 5, thereby causing the sides 1 ofthe latter to firmly engage with the turned back edge portions of thecanvas and remain in such positions until they are subsequentlydetached.

In the event the canvas is to be permanently secured to the frame priorto the detachment of the angle members, suitable tacks may be driventhrough the turned back edge portions of the canvas and into the frameat points where the openings 6a in the sides 6 occur.

It is apparent that the present invention may be adapted for use withrespect to frames of different shapes by changing the general shapes ofthe angle members 4 and 5 so they conform to and fit upon the sides ofthe frame with which they are used.

What I claim is:

1. In means for securing a sheetto a frame, pairs of opposed elongatedangle members substantially L-shaped in cross section arranged forengagement with the sheet where it is extended over the side edges ofthe frame and also with the rear side of the frame, the said anglemembers being independently adjustable, and spring clamp means connectedto and positioned between the elongated members of each pair, wherebythe said members of each pair are urged toward one another to firmlyengage with the sheet and clamp it against the edges of the frame.

2. In means for securing a canvas to a frame, pairs of opposed elongatedunconnected and independently adjustable angle members arranged forengagement with the canvas where it is extended over the side edges ofthe frame, pointed means carried by the angle members for penetratingthe canvas and the side edges of the frame whereby the canvas isnormally prevented from slipping with respect to the side edges of theframe, and spring clamp means connected to and positioned between theelongated members of each pair, whereby the said members of each pairare urged toward each other to main tain the said members in positionsso the pointed means carried thereby remain in penetrating engagementwith the canvas and the frame.

3. In means for securing a sheet to a frame, pairs of opposed elongatedangle members arranged forv engagement with the sheet where it isextended over the side edges of the frame, pointed means carried by theangle members for penetrating the sheet and the side edges of the frame,whereby the sheet is normally prevented from slipping with respect tothe side edges of the frame, and spring clamp means connected to andpositioned between the elongated members of each pair, whereby the saidmembers of each pair are urged toward each other to maintain the saidmembers in positions so the pointed means carried thereby remain inpenetrating engagement with the sheet and the frame, the said anglemembers having spaced openings arranged therein for the insertion oftacks for the permanent securing of the sheet to the frame when theangle members are removed.

4. In means for securing a sheet to a frame, pairs of opposed elongatedmembers arranged for engagement with the sheet where it is extended overthe side edges of the frame, the said elongated members having spacedopenings arranged along their lengths for permitting the driving ofindependent pointed members through the sheet and into the frame for thepermanent attachment of the sheet to the frame, and spring clamp meansconnected to and positioned between the elongated members of each pair,whereby the said members of each pair are urged toward one another tofirmly engage with the sheet and clamp it against the edges of theframe.

CARROLL E. THOMAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

